Cirrus@Austlit

The article details Marchetta's approach to writing through a discussion of Finnikin of the Rock (2008), which she describes as 'a different type of book' than Alibrandi and Jellicoe Road. A fantasy quest that involves '...a coming together of disparate settings, memories and concerns' (5), Marchetta claims the book is fundamentally about '...loss of homeland, loss of language and...loss of identity' (6).

The article includes some facts about the author and a plot outline of Finnikin, which describes the narrative as 'long and twisting ... with characters whose actions can't always be anticipated (6).

Dr June factor discusses her fascination with the subject of her research which is focused on the importance of children's rhymes and the language of childhood. Highly regarded as a researcher and children's writer, Factor describes herself as 'kind of ethnographer' whose interest in children's language, play and conversation has meant she has collected material 'from a range of subjects, styles and play-related functions (10)

Rayma Turton reviews Norman Lindsay's The Magic Pudding in light of the ninetieth anniversary edition published by HarperCollins (2008). For Turton, Lindsay 'recognised the appeal of the anarchic and the ridiculous' which he managed to capture along with 'the Australian voices of the period' (24).